Run to the Water
by stormchild
Summary: The day after the 01 Digidestined return to the real world, Matt finds himself worrying about life from then on. A lil Tai/Matt friendship ficcy. ^^


Disclaimer: Digimon belongs to Toei, Fox Kids, etc., not me  
  
Run to The Water  
By stormchild  
  
In a moment we lost our minds here  
And lay our spirit down  
Today we lived a thousand years  
All we have is now  
  
Run to the water  
And find me there  
Burnt to the core but not broken  
We'll cut through the madness  
Of these streets below the moon  
These streets below the moon  
  
  
The park was quiet, almost deserted at this late hour. A warm summer breeze swept through, the leaves whispering. The low murmur of traffic seemed impossibly distant at this moment. Matt had sought out this place to escape from a reality that somehow didn't seem quite real anymore.  
  
Perched on the edge of the wooden bench, in his usual green top and jeans, he still couldn't believe the battle was over. He had repeated it in his mind several times since yesterday's victory, and still it was hard to believe. Fighting for his life, depending on his friends, that had become his reality. This... wasn't the same, anymore. False ambitions, petty minds, silly outlooks. How could this be his world?  
  
In the Digiworld, what mattered was obvious. The Digidestined were fated to be saviors of two worlds; masks, popularity, status--none of it had mattered. What mattered was the person underneath, the true friend. Back in this so-called real world, things just seemed so... two-dimensional.  
  
What had happened was precious, something that had changed everything about him. Matt had grown and matured much more than he probably would have had he not been a Digidestined. There were only seven other people who could possibly understand, and he was worried they would forget, eventually. It was likely they would all return to their old friends and lives, and what they learned would eventually fade away. Matt frowned, clenching his fists. He couldn't let that happen. Gabumon had taught him so much...  
  
"Matt?"  
  
He jumped at the soft voice, spinning around. Angry words at disturbing him died on his tongue as he saw Tai, hands stuffed in his pockets and looking uncertain. He settled for a sullen scowl. "Oh. Hey Tai."  
  
"Oh, hey Tai? Is that the best greeting a famed Digidestined can get these days?" He plopped down onto the bench beside Matt, giving him a teasing grin.  
  
"Yup," Matt replied. "Especially a knucklehead like you."  
  
The two sat in contented silence for a moment, neither feeling the need to speak.  
  
"Tai?" Matt finally spoke up hesitantly. "Do you think... we'll forget?"  
  
The wild-haired boy shook his head vehemently, apparently understanding. "No way. I won't, at least. I couldn't. It changed us all for the better..."  
  
Matt smiled faintly. "What about our friendships? I don't think I could stand losing any of you as friends, but it seems almost inevitable."  
  
His friend was silent for a long time. "I hope we won't. Drift apart, that is. You guys all mean a lot to me."  
  
Matt grinned uncertainly. "You know, Tai, it helps to be close to you, to talk to you. It keeps the memory vivid. And... it's nice, having someone who experienced the same thing, who actually knows what we went through."  
  
He choked slightly as Tai leaned closer, eyes gleaming. "You will always have that, Matt. You can always talk to me. Or any of the others," he added belatedly.  
  
Matt glanced away from Tai, studying the playground, the trees, the star-scattered sky. This was his home. The Digiworld was still a big part of him, of course, but with the others, he somehow knew it would live on in his heart. For now, this was his reality.  
  
"Thanks," he murmured.  
  
"Anytime," Tai replied with a wink, rising to leave. He walked towards the streets jauntily, whistling, and Matt laughed. Even if all the others did eventually turn back to their old ways of life, he could always count on good old Tai.  
  
Oh, Matt would go on with his life as normal as well, of course. But he knew that if he ever needed reminding, he could go to Tai.  
  
"Thanks," he whispered again. 


End file.
